title: Associations between self-rated vision score, vision tests, and self-reported visual function in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We attempt to understand the determinants of self-rated vision status by examining associations with vision tests, self-reported visual function, demographic, and health-status characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 2467 individuals, aged 65 to 84 years, in a longitudinal, population-based cohort study. Participants rated their vision status from 0 to 10. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, and visual fields were assessed. The Activities of Daily Vision Scale (ADVS) questionnaire was administered. Multivariate ordinal and multinomial logistic-regression models examined the association of demographic, health-status characteristics, vision tests, and ADVS subscales with self-rated vision status score. Odds ratios described the association of these characteristics with reporting better vision status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Better visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, and visual fields were associated with increased odds of reporting better vision status. Among the vision tests, a 2-line increase in visual acuity was most likely to result in an individual reporting better vision status (odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-1.70). A 5-point increase in the near vision and far vision ADVS subscale scores was associated with increased odds of reporting good versus poor vision status. A 5-point increase in the near vision subscale was most likely to result in an individual reporting good versus poor vision status (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28-1.50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-rated vision status is a multidimensional measure. Near-vision visual function, visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity are important determinants of self-rated vision status in an elderly population. This understanding may improve the ability of eye care providers to maximize self-rated vision status among their patients.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Gasim
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.forename: Sheila K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Adrienne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests / Q000379:methods*; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields
keywords: elderly; self-rated vision; vision tests; visual function